Wenham Barber
(1687-1728)

Wenham Barber was the third of the four known children of carpenter Wenham Barber and his wife Etheldred Collin of Witcham, Cambridgeshire, England.

Wenham married three times, each marriage lasting at most, 2 years. His final wife outlived him. Wenham is believed to have fathered seven children - his second wife mothering one child, and his third wife mothering six. During the baptism of the first of Wenham's children with his third wife, she is noted as his 'bedfellow' - an odd term for a wife - but then have I incorrectly just assumed they actually married?

Wenham inherited land at 'Damhead' from his father, despite exclusive use being granted to his aunt Winifred Courtrey. When she died prematurely in 1711 with only small children as the heirs, somehow the land returned back to Wenham.

In his own Will, Wenham passed 'Damhead' to his wife Mary - the mother of six of his seven children. However, he stipulated that it would be only for nine years, afterwhich it should pass to their son Wenham. However, he added a clause that if Mary should dig or plough the land during that nine year period, then she must forfeit it to Wenham earlier.

He also left 2 and a half acres of land at 'in the pools abutting on the 100ft' to his other son Robert and his heirs. Robert was an infant, baptised on the day prior to Wenham writing his Will.

Wenham died in 1728, and his widow Mary can be found marrying John Scam in 1730. She dies in 1733.

Life Events

Born

• circa 1687 at Witcham, Cambridgeshire, England.

Baptised

• 10th September 1687 at St. Martin's Church, Witcham, Cambridgeshire, England.

Married

• Martha Dixis (1686-1709) on 19th September 1708 at St. Peter's Church, Wentworth, Cambridgeshire, England.
• Joan Smith (16??-1714) on 4th May 1710 at St. Peter's Church, Wentworth, Cambridgeshire, England.
• Mary (16??-1733) circa 1714, presumably in Cambridgeshire, England.

Children

• Catherine Barber (1711)
• Wenham Barber (1712-?)
• John Barber (1714)
• John Barber (1716-?)
• Matthew Barber (1719-1728)
• Anne Barber (1722-?)
• Robert Barber (1727-1765) married Susannah Poole (1727-1772)

Last Will & Testament

• Written 30th October 1727

Death

• Circa December 1728 at Witcham, Cambridgeshire, England, aged 36 years.

Burial

• 4th December 1728 at St. Martin's Church, Witcham, Cambridgeshire, England.